Tube beading device for tampon applicators and the like



Feb. l2, 1946- J. R. McLAUGHLlN 2,394,557

TUBE BEADING DEViICE FOR TAMPON APPLICATORS AND THE LIKE mvENToR.

JOHN R. MGLA HLIN.

BY Q.

Feb. 12, 1946.r J R, MCLAUGHUN 2,394,557

TUBE BEADING DEVICE FOR TAMPON APPLICATORSAND THE LIKE Filed Oct. 23, 1942 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 x T INVENTOR.

IG' JOHN R. MCL UGHLIN.

ATTORNEY.

Feb. l2, 1946. J. R. MCLAUGHLIN TUBE BEADING DEVICE FOR TAMPON APPLICATORS AND THE LIKE Filed Oct. 23, 1942 3 Sheet SSheet 5 W lu. u.

M. T N E V W l JOHN R. McLuGHLlN. Y B' @QW ATTORNEY.'

Patented Feb. 12, 1946 TUBE BEADING DEVICE FOR TAMPON APPLICATORS AND THE LIKE John R. McLaughlin, New Brunswick, N. J., as-

signor to Tampax Incorporated, New York, N. Y., a corporation of Delaware Application October 23, 1942, Serial No. 463,097

4 Claims.

The present invention relates to apparatus for beading or rounding the ends of the cylindrical walls of tubes. The invention more specifically appertains to a machine for beading the ends of tubes to permit the ready insertion of one tube telescopically into another tube of larger dimensions. Tubes telescoped in this manner are adapted to provide an applicator in which a cotton wad is confined in a compressed state for use for sanitary purposes or otherwise.

It is an object of the present invention to simplify the construction and improve the operation of an apparatus of the character contemplated herein.

Itis another object of the invention to provide an apparatus that is adapted for continuous operation whereby the beading of the tubes may be performed in a rapid manner and in relatively large quantities.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an apparatus that is of comparatively simple construction and possesses a high degree of novelty andeiciency.

Still another object is the provision of an apparatus of the character contemplated herein that is eective in performing its functions, and is dependable in its manner of operation.

A still further object is the provision of an apparatus that is capable of handling and operating upon tubes that are made from paper and like material without damage to the paper or distortion to the shapes of the tubes.

Additional objects, aims, and advantages of the present improvements will be apparent to persons skilled in the art after the invention is understood from the within description. Among these additional objects may be mentioned that it is an aim to provide an apparatus that is made of sturdy parts so that it will be capable of withstanding severe usage and continuous operation, and which is comparatively economical to manufacture.

It is preferred to accomplish the above-mentioned and other objects, and to practice this invention, in substantially the manner herein fully described and as more particularly pointed out in the appended claims, reference being hereby made to the accompanying drawings that form a part of this specification.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary plan View of the operating instrumentalities for rounding the ends of the tubes.

Figure 2 is a side View of the instrumentalities shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is an end View in elevation of the Figure 8 is a plan view of the inner tube of a" pair of tubes prior to having the ends rounded, the parts thereof being shown in section to clarify the illustration.

Figure 9 is a plan view of the inner tube shown in Figure 3 after its ends have been rounded, the parts thereof being shown in section to clarify the illustration.

Figure 10 is a fragmentary sectional View of the assembled tubes and a sanitary cotton plug in relationship to the rounded ends with reference to the compressed sanitary plug assembled therewith.

Figure l1 is a fragmentary sectional view taken substantially along line 'XI- XI of Figure 1.

Figure l2 is a fragmentary sectional View taken substantially along line XII-XII of Figure 1.

Figure 13 is a fragmentary sectional view taken substantially along line XIII-XIII 'of Figure 1.

Figure 14 is a fragmentary sectional view taken substantially along line XIX/*XIV of Figure 1.

Figure 15 is a fragmentary sectional view taken substantially along line XV--XV of Figure 3.

The drawings, which are to be understood as being more or less of a schematic character, disclose a typical or preferred form in which the invention may be made, and in these drawings the same reference characters are employed for the purpose of identification of like parts wherever the same parts appear inthe divers views.

The structure which has been selected for illustration is intended for rounding or beading the ends of tubes l0 (Figures 9 and 10) which comprises one of a pair of tubes that are telescoped to provide a unit such as a paper applicator which is adapted to confine Within it a wad of cotton or the like for use for sanitary purposes such as the type which is disclosed and described in United States Letters Patent No. 2,024,218. In this particular instance, the tube |10 as well as its coacting tube H is constructed of disposable paper material so that the rounding or beading of the ends of the tube wall must be effected without impairabove the uprights I9.

ment to the structure of the body of the tube. As fragmentarily shown insection in Figure 10, the tube I with its rounded or beaded end is telescopically entered into the outer tube II, which preferably surrounds the cotton wad I2 and effectively retains said wad in compressed condition and ready for'use.

In the present embodiment of the apparatus, a supporting base I4 provides the bottom or floor of a rectangular bin I5 which provides a conning medium for a quantity of Ythe tubes I0 which are dumped therein Ywithout predetermined arrangement to effect gravity feeding thereof to instrumentalities .to be hereinafter described. A suitable chute IB inclines downwardly away from an exterior portion of the bin I5 and the lower bed portion of said chute I6 is curved downwardly y to provide a discharge throat I'I in the manner.

shown in Figures 2, 3, and l1. The tubes I, `as shown in Figures 2, 11 and 15 are disposed transversely across the chute I 6 and the discharge throat I?, and they are stacked in a successive Open frames each top cross members 2I of these open frames are connected to the shelf I8 by angle brackets 23 An angle-metal strip 25 is secured to and extends between the rear upper corners of the open frames to brace the same, and vertical columns 24 are secured to and arise from intermediate portions of said angle-strip 25 and have their upper ends suitably attached to the shelf I8. Elongated metal straps 26, performing the functions of stays, extend obliquely between and are attached to the rear edge of the shelf and to the'lower portions of the uprights 2U A rectangular opening 21 is i of the open frames. made in the forward portion of the shelf I8 at approximately its center of width, said opening providing egress to the receiving throat 28 at the '50 widened `upper portion of a chute 29 of somewhat S-shape. The opening 2'I is of proper dimensions to receive the `throat 28`that is disposed init and projects a suitable distance above the plane are provided with suitable bearings for journaling a horizontal elongate rotatable shaft 36 that is shorter than shaft 35 and extends beyond its bearings in block 33. The portions of the shafts 35 and 36 which project beyond block 3i) have gears 31 and 38 secured to their respective ends, said gears being in mesh with each other for rotating the shafts in opposite directions. As seen in Figures 1 and l1 the shafts 35-33 are disposed parallel with respect to each other in the same Yhorizontal plane above the shelf I8 and they are spaced apart a vdistance so thatthe throat A28 of the chute 29'is between them a lowerrplane. f l

The intermediate portion of the shaft 35 has secured to it a-pair of star-wheels which comprise disks 39 and 4U that are provided with peripheral notches 4I and said star-wheels 35i-4! are maintained in separated positions byspacer spools 42 on the shaft 35. By reference to Figure 1 it will be seen that the separation of the star-wheels 39-40 is less than the length of the tube Ill. The intermediate portion of shaft 36 likewise has secured to it a pair of star-wheels comprising disks 43 and 44, which are provided with pef ripheral notches 4m and they are maintained in spaced relation to each other by spacer spools 45 on the shaft 36. The star-wheels 39 and 43 are aligned with each other, as are also the starwheels 40 and 44, so that the notches 4I and :lla

will register with each other during intermittent rotation and pause. The adjacent peripheries of `these confronting star-wheels move together in discharge end II of the chute' I3 is immediately above and it is in vertical alinement with the confronting portions of the peripheries of the pairs of star-Wheels 39-40 and 43--44 Vso that the tubes Il) will gravitate from the chute I6 into a pair of opposingknotches during a pause of the star-wheelsand the tube at the4 next pause of the shelf I8 as will be seen Yin Figures 2 and 11.

This chute 29 receives the tubes IU after they have been operated upon bythe instrumentalities and said chutes convey said finished tubes to suitable mechanism that is adapted to telescope these beaded tubes with other tubes of larger dimensions.

` which form the beads upon the ends of said tubes, l

An elongated bearing block3Il having end lugs 3I is secured to a corner portion of the shelf I8 by bolts 32 that pass through said lugs and are screwed into the shelf I8 to position said bearing block 30 parallel with a side edge of said shelf and extending rearwardly from the forward edge thereof as shown in Figures 1 and 11. There is a rectangular notch or recess Illa in the opposite corner of the shelf I8 and at the shorter side of vthis notch a small bearing block 33 is secured to the shelf in any suitable manner. Another small bearing block 3 4 is anchored to the shelf I 8 opposite the inner portion of the elongate block 30. The block 33 and the alined'portion of block Y3E! pin 41.

will have its cylindrical wall engagedV atrfour locations while the beading elements are operating upon the tube ends. Y

The intermittent or step by step rotation of the star-wheels 39.4l and 43--j44 is accomplished in a novel manner which will now be described. The shaft V35i beyond vthe bearingrblock 34 Yhas a Geneva Vpin-wheel that isldesignated as a whole by the numeral'46 Vand has a hubthat is secured to the end of shaft 35 by a transverse Y The periphery of the wheel 46 is provided with sockets V48 in which radially projecting pins 49 are secured by transverse headlessscrews Convex-surfaced rollers 5I having 'which said ange rests upon the shelf `'I8 inthe manner shown in detail in Figure 12, where it will be seen the shaft 52 and the sleeve extend above and below the shelf I8 through a hole 55 in said shelf. A gear 56 is secured to the shaft 52 below the lower end of the sleeve 53, and beyond said gear 58 a beveled pinion 51 is attached to said shaft by a screw 58 and is in mesh with a mitergear 58 secured to the adjacent end of a horizontal rotatable shaft 59. This horizontal shaft has bearings in the supporting frame and it has a small sprocket wheel 68 secured to an intermediate portion which is driven by a chain 6I deriving its power from any suitable actuating mechanism.

The upper end of the vertical shaft 52 projects above the sleeve 53, as shown in detail in Figure l2, where it has a Geneva-gear or modified worin 82 secured to it by means of a screw 63 that is threaded through the hub 62a. The Genevagear 62 is positioned relative to the Geneva pinwheel 48 so that the periphery of said Genevagear 62 engages and operates between the spaced rollers on the Geneva pin-wheel 46, and as shown in Figure 2 the gear 62 is disposed in a horizontal plane at a right angle to the vertical plane in the pin-wheel 46. A portion of the Geneva-gear 62 embodies a segmentally extending tongue or lip 84 and is inclined downwardly away from the body of the gear 62 where it is in position to engage between the pair of rollers 5| next succeeding the pair which have been engaged by the periphery of the Geneva-gear 82. This Geneva-gear 62 rotates in a contra-clockwise direction and the action of the tongue or lip 64 is to intermittently rotate the pin-wheel 46 and shaft 35 in a clock-wise direction when the structure is viewed in Figure 2. It will here be noted that the proportions of the Geneva-gear element 62 and its tongue or lip 64 are such that there are relatively long pauses between the spaced movements of the pin-wheel 48 and shaft 35. These periods of pause and movement are transmitted to the pairs of star-wheels 39--48 and 43-4, which star-wheels, through the medium of the gears 31 and 38 will be moved in the directions hereinbefore indicated.

The instrumentalities for rounding or beading the tube ends derive their movements from the Geneva-gear shaft 52 through the medium of a gear 65 that meshes with said gear 56 and is carried upon the lower end of a short cam-shaft 96 that projects down through its bearing 81 in the table or shelf I8 as shown in detail in Figure 12. The upper end portion of the cam-shaft 66 is provided with a cam-disk 8,8 that rests upon the top of bearing 61 and is provided with an eccentrically disposed headed crank-pin 69. A longitudinally reciprocable slide-bar 18 is movably mounted in spaced guides 1I and 12 that are anchored to the top of the table or shelf I8 so that said slide-bar 19 is movable towards and away from the star-wheels 39-48 in a plane midway between the vertical Planes of said starwheels as will be observed by reference to Figure 1. The end of the slide-bar 19 which is nearest the cam-shaft 8B has a hitman-link 13 pivotally connected to it by a pivot bolt 14, and the other end or" said link 13 is pivotally connected to the cam-disk 88 by the crank-pin 69.

The forming dies which are adapted to bead the tube ends are preferably cylindrical blocks 15 having concave shaping recesses 16 in one of their hat end faces, such as shown in detail in Figure 7, and the other faces are provided with slots 11 to receive the adjacent end portions of swinging rocker arms 18 that are anchored in said slots by set-screws 19. These rocker-arms 18 are provided with breaks in their intermediate portions in order to position the forming dies 15 in horizontal alinement with the axis of and upon opposite sides of the tube I8 When the latter is held in operative position by the star-wheels 3'9-48 and 43-44. The ends of the rocker-arms 18 opposite the dies 15 are formed with disk-shaped enlargements 8| each having a central aperture 82 and a plurality of segmental or arcuate slots 83 that are concentric thereto and are utilized in adjusting the positions of the arms 18 and dies 'I5 with relation to the tube ends in the holding devices or star-wheels 39--40 and 43-44.

The manner of mounting the arms 18 comprises vertical pivot-studs 84, 84, disposed on opposite sides of cam-shaft 66, and provided with annular flanges 85, 85, that are secured to the shelf or table I8 by screws 86, 88, and below said flanges the pivot studs 84, 84, are seated in apertures 81, 81, in said table I8. Above the iianges there are bosses 88, 88, on the pivot-studs 84. 84, which support the adjacent ends of lever-arms 89, 89, that are Inovably pivoted on said studs 84, 84, as shown in detail in Figure 12. Spacing spools 99, 98, that are centrally bored, are rotatably mounted on said studs 84, 84, and have their lower flanges adjustably connected to the pivoted ends of the lever-arms 89, 89 by screws 9|, 9|; while the upper flanges of said spools 99, 98, support the adjacent enlarged pivotal ends 8|, 8| of the respective die-carrying arms 18, 18, which are adjustably secured to said flanges by several headed screws 92, 92, that are threaded into said flanges through the segmental slots 83 in the adjacent ends of said arms 18, 18. The assembly which has just been described is maintained against displacement on the pivot studs 89, 84, bolts 93, `93, that are screwed into the ends of the pivot studs 84, 84, and have washers 94, 94, interposed between their heads and the ends of said pivot studs so that said washers will overlap the adjacent portions of the arms 18, 18.

It is obvious that each beading die 15 is mounted upon and actuated by a bell-crank structure which comprises a lever-arm 89, a spool 98 providing the pivotal boss of the bell-crank, and an arm 18 which carries a die 15 upon its outer swinging end. The outer ends of the lever-arms 89 are operatively connected to and are moved by the reciprocating slide-bar 18 by means of links 95, 95, that converge towards each other and are connected pivotally to the slide-bar 10 intermediate the guides 1|, 12, by a pivot bolt 96, while the opposite end of each link is pivotally connected by a pivot bolt 91 to the adjacent end of a respective lever-arm 89. The reciprocatory movement of the slide-bar 10 is adapted to rock the bell-crank structures, causing the dies 15, 15 to be moved into engagement with and bead the ends of the tube I0 held by the star-wheels 39-40 and 43-44; after which the dies 15, 15 are withdrawn from the tube I0 and the beaded tube is released and falls into the mouth 28 of the receiving chute 28.

It has hereinbefore been stated that it is an object of this invention to provide means for handling and operating upon tubes that are made of paper material without damage to the paper material or distorting the shapes of the tubes. This object is accomplished by providing yieldable bearings for one of the star-Wheel shafts preferably the shorter shaft 36, and in this connection reference is made to Figure 14 which shows the structure in' sectional detail. The bearing block 33 has an elongated recess or wide slot 98 extendingV horizontally inwardly :from its end face', and the inner end 99 of said slot is of substantially semi-circular shape in section so as to act as an abutment for a bearing bushing |50 that .surrounds the shaft 36 within the block. Transverse lubrication ducts IUI are madein the bushing |00, and a guide finger `I 02 has one of its ends screwed into said bushing while its opposite end is engaged in an aperture |83 in the adjacent portion of a face plate |04 that extends across the end of 'the vblock and is secured in place by bolts m5. A coiled spring |06 surrounds the guide pin I2 between Vsaid face-plate and the bearing bushing Ill!! and this-spring ISS urges the bushing lll and the shaft 36 yieldably towards the inner portion ofthe recessV 98. .A similar structure .is provided at the other end vof the shaft 3B in the block 30 where the corresponding lface plate is indicated by the numeral lill. This arrangement permits the star- Vwheels S-M, mounted on shaft 36 to yield in the event a tube l is improperly disposed in the respective notches of the star-Wheels. Y l

While the invention has been described in detail in its present preferred form or embodiment, it will `be obvious to others who are skilled in the art, after understanding said invention, that various changes and modications may be made therein without departing from the spirit or sco-pe thereof. In the appended claims it is aimed to cover all such changes and modications.

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus for beading theends of tubes embodying oppositely rotatable shafts; starwheels mounted on said shafts and adapted to receive and support a tube between their marginal portions; means for rotating said shafts to dispose the tube in an operating position; forming dies positioned upon opposite sides of said star-wheels and normally spaced from the ends of the tube; bell-cranks, corresponding arms of which support said dies; and reciprocable devices operatively connected to other arms of said bell-cranks for intermittently actuating said bell-cranks whereby to engagesaid dies with the ends of the tube.

` zynpparatusiforbeading theends of tubesem- .bodying a supporti shafts journaledthereon and adapted for opposite rotation; tube carryingy means mounted on' said 'shafts and adapted'to move a tube to an operative position; rocker-arms 'fulcrumed intermediatetheirends on Said support with-portions disposed alongside said tube carrying means; forming dies on said last-mentioned portions .of Said arms; a reciprocable bar mounted'on said support having operative connection with'said rocker-arms; and devices `for reciprocating said bar whereby to engage said dies with the ends of the tube ,on said carrying means.' i i 3. An apparatus for beading the endsof tubes.l embodying .a support; shafts'l `iournaled thereon' and adapted for opposite rotation; tube carrying means' on said shafts'adapted tolmovea .tube to Y shafts for moving a tube into an operative posi.

tion; rocker-arms disposed with portions along side said tube carrying means; forming dies on the last-named portions of said arms adapted to engage the 'ends of the tube; a reciprocal member on said support; links connecting said member to portions of said rocker-arms for moving the latter; a rotatable shaft journaled on said support; and a crank elementactuated by said shaft'and having operative connection with and adapted to move said reciprocal member whereby torock said arms to engage the dies with the ends `of the tube on said carrying means. Y

JOHN R. MCLAUGHLJN. 

